The "Bottom" Village

THE "BOTTOM" VILLAGE. The "Bottom" residential village, built in the mid-1930s, was the first housing project developed by Henry Ford for his employees in the Ways Station (later Richmond Hill) area. The name originated from the fact that the area had been a swamp or a "bottom" before Ford had it cleared and drained.

There was a similar employee residential community on the Clyde Road just west of Ways Station called "Blueberry Village". In the Bottom there were 75 two - and - three - bedroom homes built for Ford's workers. Also in the development were a recreation building and a baseball field. No rent was charged employees until 1945 when Ford, acceding to Internal Revenue Service requirements, began charging the modest sum of $15 per month.

Ford, in turn, raised their pay $15 per month to take care of the rent.